Borjhar, June 10: The South Kamrup district administration seized seven suction machines, used in river sand mining, from the Paschim Dhuli area near Chaygaon today.

South Kamrup deputy commissioner Rajib Prakash Baruah, superintendent of police Prashanta Saikia and assistant conservator of forests of Kamrup West forest division, Bishwajit Roy, conducted the raid.

Sand, classified as a minor mineral under Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, is illegally mined in the area.

Despite the Environment Impact Assessment Authority's ban on mechanised sand mining from riverbeds, the practice is rampant in the district.

Only manual sand mining is allowed, to keep the river ecology undisturbed.

The rivers which bear the brunt of unscientific mining are the Kulshi, Batha, Chaygaon and Shingra.

"The joint raid was carried out to stop mechanised mining, which is banned. Our mission has been successful," Baruah said.

Sources said more sand can be extracted from the river with the help of suction machines.

"Mechanised mining is destructive as it has an adverse impact on the river ecosystem. It triggers erosion along the riverbank and may change a river's course," a source said.